Court Dissolving - Your Questions Answered

[Kinaed]

Dear Players,

Here are the questions that you asked about Court dissolving, and here are our answers:

• What is the role of the CIty Council?
They are the highest government body in Lithmore City. By noble right, all visiting nobles have a right to participate and vote on Council affairs, though the council only formally sits when the Seneschal convenes it. The City Council typically works via voting on topics via courier, and those members who choose to abstain are ignored. Therefore, the CIty Council can be fairly non-participatory. [color=#40FF00]
• Is the City Council a democratic system?
[/color] No, the bids system that appoints the Seneschal is not a vote. It is a weighted 'measure of influence and power' within the city. The City Council itself does not need to 'sit' either, often discussing matters via courier and only voting if the Seneschal chooses to put a matter to vote - otherwise, the Seneschal generally makes decisions as she or he sees fit. [color=#40FF00]
• What are the theme changes as a result of this?
[/color] Very limited. This is mostly a shift and consolidation of power to the CIty Council as an institution, but Court still exists in game. Therefore, Bertrand is still the High Chamberlain, Marisa is still the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Emma is still a member of the privy council, etc. It just that Court is not a code-supported guild anymore. The High Steward will become an NPC. Most things that people turned to the High Steward for in terms of in-game decision-making should be redirected to the Seneschal's office. [color=#40FF00]
• What powers does the Seneschal have?
[/color] The Seneschal is a Queen-appointed role similar to a governor or mayor. The Queen appoints the Seneschal based on whomever comes most strongly recommended to her after the previous Seneschal's term is complete. The Seneschal is a Great Lord (that is, a member of the nobility, regardless of social origin), and has all of the rights and privileges that entails. In other matters, the Seneschal cannot strip a GL of their Guild Leader role, but we are considering giving them preferential influence or commands. Likewise, we may give GLs preferential influence or commands over the selection and/or removal of the Seneschal. This is not hashed out, so what is there now is the system until we decide on anything better. Did we miss any specific powers you want to know about? Ask below! [color=#40FF00]
• What powers did the HIgh Steward have that the Seneschal does not?
[/color] The Seneschal cannot ennoble or remove titles from nobles. The Seneschal also cannot make government decisions for cities or regions outside of Lithmore city. The Seneschal is, however, the de facto "Duke of the Bren" and has similar authority within Lithmore itself. [color=#40FF00]
• Whose permission does the Order and/or Reeves need to investigate nobility?
[/color] For the Order, the Grand Inquisitor's. For the Reeves, the Justiciar's. This is as it has always been, there is no change here. In the past, the Grand Inquisitor and Reeves would usually let the Court GL know one of their people was being investigated as a matter of courtesy and ensuring that the reaction of the Court was manageable rather than an actual requirement. [color=#40FF00]
• How will guilds be funded without Court?
[/color] The City Council has a bank account of their own and may or may not choose to fund the guilds as they choose. Tax monies previously going to Court will be shifted to the City Council. Staff will let this play out ICly as each Seneschal and GL can negotiate. [color=#40FF00]
• What will happen to the court's current accounts?
[/color] Nothing, they are inaccessible to the City Council, however. [color=#40FF00]
• How will nobles pool sword now that Court isn't a guild?
[/color] All nobles can pool sword as a result of their social class. [color=#40FF00]
• How will Kingdom-wide matters be handled?
[/color] These are only available by staff endorsed and run plots. If a player has a character with ties outside of Lithmore CIty, staff give them permission to run 'flavor' plots in the background as they wish - however, any plot with substantial effect on the game or other players must be approved by staff. [color=#40FF00]
• What will happen to all of the Court xblocks in the Palace?
[/color] We haven't decided. They'll either become noble class xblocks or be removed. [color=#40FF00]
• What will happen to palace taxes?
[/color] Nothing, but the City Council isn't responsible to pay them. The City Council's guildhall is the Town Hall.

Did we forget to answer anything? Ask below!

[Voxumo]

Firstly, you mentioned the seneschal can not ennoble and cannot remove titles... Who can then?
Secondly I assume that the prior method of choosing the seneschal shall no longer be the norm? Can't say I'm surprised there, as claims were made regarding the regent but we all saw how that worked out.
Thirdly, is the city council an actual coded guild, like with gpay, guild channel and all that snazz? Some parts suggest that but some parts are also worded to where it's doubtable.
Fourthly, Is city council limited to nobles and gls only, much like how court was in it's later days?
And finally, will guilds still receive funding they did that was based around city metrics, or was that actually the court funding?

[Kinaed]

The seneschal can not ennoble and cannot remove titles... Who can then?

The High Steward and Queen. This option is not normal and is not a typical punishment that people can place on the nobility. If it needs to happen, we prefer a player kick it off through the Plot System.

I assume that the prior method of choosing the seneschal shall no longer be the norm?

It is the norm. The bid system remains in place and isn't changing for the next selection of the Seneschal. If you're wondering if we'd take the 2nd person in line if the first is disqualified like we did last time, or if we would re-run the bid if the winner is revealed as a mage, as we said last time, this is quite circumstantial, so it'd probably depend on the individual situation just as it did last time.

I think we plan to reduce the nomination and campaign periods slightly though if we haven't already.

Is the City Council an actual coded guild, like with gpay, guild channel and all that snazz?

Yes, we shifted Court members who would be on the council to it this morning. Anyone who enters game that fits in this guild can join via Request Board with no seeking required.

Is city council limited to nobles and gls only, much like how court was in it's later days

Sort of. Type 'city council' alone to see who in game is entitled to be in the guild. GLs codewise cannot dual guild, so they're not in the code guild, but they're still able to participate as full members for council meetings, city forecast, etc.

Will guilds still receive funding they did that was based around city metrics, or was that actually the court funding?

Yes, guilds will receive their current activity funding, separate entirely to the Council's assistance.

When does the current Seneschal's term run out?

As of right now: The Seneschal Tenure period expires in 26 days 5 hours 18 minutes 40 seconds.

[Voxumo]

The seneschal can not ennoble and cannot remove titles... Who can then?

The High Steward and Queen. This option is not normal and is not a typical punishment that people can place on the nobility. If it needs to happen, we prefer a player kick it off through the Plot System.

So Basically staff. Understandable. I just was asking because there are cases where such a thing, the removal of titles at least, would make sense. Murder, magery etc. A noble is found to be a mage, and goes on the run... Well I would certainly hope their titles would be stripped.

Is city council limited to nobles and gls only, much like how court was in it's later days

Sort of. Type 'city council' alone to see who in game is entitled to be in the guild. GLs codewise cannot dual guild, so they're not in the code guild, but they're still able to participate as full members for council meetings, city forecast, etc.

Typing city council doesn't really prove a point. It shows the people from court that you just moved but I get what your trying to indicate. I'd personally like to see this... well the term is slipping my mind currently, but I'd like to see this change especially with the "Removal" of court which made sense as a noble only guild. City council in my eyes is a matter of influence, versus title. A new noble really shouldn't be automatically added to it as they aren't from the city of lithmore, of which this body oversees, and they really hold no influence other than "Hey I'm a noble."

I mean heck, if you have a wealthy character who can "buy" influence and uses said influence to better the city, at least from an outsider perspective I see no reason they should be restricted as they could potentially have an influence on the state of the city, for better or worse.

Though I feel like I'm rambling and that my intended point is getting lost. Hopefully this all makes sense.

[Kinaed]

Nobles have noble rights in this world, and one of which is to sit on the City Council when in Lithmore. It's law, pure and simple, for the purpose of preserving the power of the nobility.

[Gerolf]

I would just to add one small bunny trail on this list:

1) Only titled nobles are on the list. Gaven, not Emma, Tomas not Brynieve for example.
2) We actually need to clean up that list some as there are characters that have liquidated still on there and some that haven't been active in a long time (Like Tomas)

[Kinaed]

Tomas isn't liquidated, he's just long term inactive. I agree anyone inactive with a timer over a certain amount ought not to show in the list though.

[Zeita]

I'd like to request some clarficiations of the above, vis-a-vis as it relates to the current structure of the Court (nothing to do with Council, not my bailiwick). MY concerns lie in two spaces, the current state (including how to play within it) and the future state as well.

If the High Steward/Keeper are resident in Lithmore and NPCs, it beggars the question of why the members of the PC nobility (some of whom are quite qualified) are excluded from this role, courtesy simply by being PCs. My thought is that it would make more sense for the Queen to absorb both of these titles and simply manage the realm and Lithmore duchy herself, as her role is less easy to aspire towards. As it is presently, it feels as if there is a big hole where the Court and the powers of the Court once stood, and that it hasn't really been addressed at least from the IC point of view.

The maintaining of the previous titles of the court also raises a concern. If these titles have no responsibility and no oversight, it makes for a very poor RP situation and for the titles to become simply pointless titular 'pride titles' that are ALSO not available to the players of new nobles, simply because they weren't around in the old setup. My understanding is that we like to offer all players a level playing field, at least in regard to opportunity.

My overall thought is that I would like this to be resolved in an IC manner from a royal pronouncement, wherein the Queen absorbs the high level court functions and disbands the court as it is. She would then take her show on the road with her privy council, becoming a good old fashioned migratory monarch that moves around the land, couch-hopping from one county, barony, duchy etc to the next. That would then enable the remaining nobles in Lithmore city to move out of the current limbo and create something new and city focused.

Thanks for hearing me out!
-Zeita.

[Kinaed]

I'm sorry, I don't think this solution is in the cards. I'm also not sure that I understand why Court needs to be dissolved or removed (or perhaps I disagree) given that these matters are largely off screen and de-emphasised . Let's discuss in more detail real-time (ie, tells or something). Thanks!

[Zeita]

Sure, I would love to discuss it in more detail.

I have a number of other thoughts around the 'noble game' now that I've been back playing properly again.